


Everything

by RainbowStalker



Category: The Maine (Band)
Genre: Cheesy, Feelings, Fire, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, but i love cheese so, protective!kennedy, someone swears like 2 times so i kept it G rated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 12:44:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13904283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowStalker/pseuds/RainbowStalker
Summary: Fic inspired by the time when The Maine's tour bus caught on fire a few years back.When a fire breaks out in the bus while Pat is sleeping, Kennedy can't help but be scared.





	Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> So I started this fic back in 2016 I believe? I remember having this crazy idea for a fic about Pat being midly hurt and Ken going all mother hen on him. However when I picked it up last week, I realised I just wasn't commited enough for the 10+ chapters I would have to write to make that happen at a realistic pace. Sorry, maybe one day you'll see me write a chaptered fic on my own. 
> 
> Still, I put all my heart in this, and it took a lot of effort to keep the tone (and not get super sassy) so I hope you enjoy!! 
> 
> Lots of love!
> 
> Em

‘Ken? There's been a fire. I-I got Pat out and I'm waiting for help outside the bus,’ called Garrett’s shaky voice through the phone.  
  
‘Shit. Is he–? Fuck. I'll be right there.’

He had never moved so fast in his life. After a quick warning to the other guys, he sprinted out of the pub and broke into a run.

Suddenly, the fifteen minute walk to the pub seemed stretch on for miles. His mind was racing, thoughts going faster than his feet even as he tore through the city. Though his lungs were on fire; curse him for smoking, he pushed through, knowing it was dread making him nauseous.

_What if he’s in a coma? What if he has burns on half of his body? Is he suffering right now? What if he doesn’t make it?_ Images flashed through his mind, images of Pat unmoving in a hospital bed, so far from the bubbly boy he knew. He was not sure if he could live without– No. He could not afford to have those thoughts. He needed focus. Concentrating on his breathing and the movement of his feet, he moved forward.

After what felt like hours, he could finally see the faint silhouette of their tour bus in the horizon, illuminated by what he guessed could only be police cars and fire engines. As if drawn to the light, he sped up further, using what felt like the last of his energy to get to his friend.

Pushing through the dissipating smoke, Kennedy frantically looked around for any sign of Pat. Now that the burning in his lungs was slowly fading, he had nothing to distract himself from the dread bubbling in his stomach.

Turning around, he felt his heart stop in his chest at the sight of the white ambulance. He made his way around the vehicle, unconsciously holding his still laboured breath in apprehension.   
  
At last, there was Pat, sat in the back of the ambulance, feet dangling off the truck holding an oxygen mask to his face. Frantically, Kennedy's eyes scanned every part of his friend's body, looking for any visible trace of harm. It was only when he found none that he finally allowed himself to breathe again. Without wasting any more time, he hurriedly made his way over to the ambulance's open doors, where a paramedic was standing, filling a form in. Pat's eyes shot open as Kennedy's voice flooded his ears, softly calling his name out.   
  
‘God, I was so worried,’ he whispered, voice shakier than he would have liked to admit. He threw his arms around Pat’s waist, giving him the tightest embrace he think he had ever given anyone, as if afraid the smaller boy would fly away if he let him go. Pat wrapped an arm around Kennedy's neck, the one that wasn't holding the mask, forehead coming to rest on the taller man's collar bone. Instinctively, Kennedy’s head turned just enough to be able to press a reassuring kiss to Pat’s temple, hand coming up to cradle the smaller boy’s head.

They remained like that for a moment, letting the chaos around them blend with the sound of the light breeze rustling the leaves. Kennedy let his eyes close, freeing his mind from all the fears he had had just moment ago. Pat, his precious Pat was safe in his arm. They still had no idea what the state of the bus was, but things were good, so good. At least to Kennedy, they were.

Really, nothing else mattered at the moment; his favourite person was safe in his arms, unharmed by the fire that had threatened his life minutes earlier. Kennedy did not know what he would have done had anything happened to his friend.

Pat was the sun. He was that little ray of light that made everyone’s days just that much brighter. The universe wanted him safe and happy. Or maybe that was just Kennedy.  

And maybe it was somehow selfish of him to ask that the whole universe rearrange its agenda to protect a single human being, but he hoped loving someone so deeply forgave the selfishness of wanting to keep them safe. He did not demand Pat to be his–he knew from too many tales that one could not wish for power over another’s free will–all he wished for was for Pat to simply be. He could just hope that whatever Pat decided to do next would keep involving him. It may not be everything he sometimes let himself long for, but it was enough.

The moment was interrupted by the wind picking up. Cool summer air joined their embrace, tousling Pat’s hair and brushing against his exposed skin. Pat shivered. That seemed to break Kennedy out of his daze. He wasted no time and shrugged off his jacket, draping it over the smaller boy’s shoulders. Pat responded with a grateful smile.

As if on cue, the paramedic signalled that it was okay for Pat to take the mask off. She nodded at them before walking away towards Garrett, who was already talking to a few police officers. Just like that, they were truly alone. Their eyes met and suddenly Kennedy just had so much to say. And for once, he felt like he was ready.

Maybe because once you’ve faced the possibility of losing everything, leaps of faith suddenly seem so small.

Never breaking eye contact, he reached out to softly tuck a piece of hair behind Pat’s ear. His hand lingered there for an instant as he collected his thoughts.

‘This is something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time,’ he started, ‘but I was always too scared. When Garrett called about the fire, everything changed. Suddenly, the risk of losing you was so real. Right now, thinking back to how afraid I was of losing you by saying something that might make thing weird between us, I feel so stupid. And it kills me, the idea that I might have never known what could have been. This might change nothing, or it might change everything but…’Kennedy paused, searching Pat’s face for any hint of what he might think. However, Pat just sat still, for once, expression open and giving him his undivided attention. He took it as a sign to go ahead.

‘What I’ve been trying to say is… I love you. And like I said, this doesn’t have to change anything between us; I simply wanted you to know.’

It might have been the smoke fogging up his mind, but it took Pat a few seconds to register what had been said. When he did, he could barely believe it. He leaned forward and threw his arms around Kennedy. His dizzy state was all it took for him to lose balance and literally fall onto his friend, Kennedy barely catching him before he fell off the ambulance. Pat’s eyes met Kennedy’s worried face and suddenly, he could not stop laughing.

‘Pat! Are you alright?’

‘Yes,’ said Pat between giggles. ‘I’m just so happy.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because I like you too, silly.’

‘I… really? You’re not just saying this to make me feel better?’ No, that was not something Pat would do. He was too nice do to such a thing, Kennedy knew that, but he did not want to get his hopes up.

He slid his hands to Pat’s shoulders, steadying him.

‘Of course I like you. What’s not to like? You’re kind, honest, caring, not to mention handsome. How can I not have crush on you when you’re always looking out for me and making sure I’m alright?’ said Pat, a soft smile on his lips. ‘I can’t say for sure that I love you yet, though. I’m sorry… I just never thought you could ever like me back, so I didn’t dare let myself fall for you. All I can say is that I like you _a lot_. Hopefully that’s enough.’

At those words, Kennedy’s smile became impossibly wider. ‘Just being with you is enough. I love you,’ he whispered, pulling Pat into his arms, where he belonged.

They stayed like that for a while, not really caring that about the ambulance they were in, or the mild chaos going on around them. They simply let themselves breathe, comforted, their place solid in each other’s arms.

 

Fin

**Author's Note:**

> Ha so I only proofread like the first 1k words? So there may or may not be mistakes towards the end. 
> 
> Oupsies.


End file.
